Yes, we know it's sweltering high summer but... flu vaccines for all children? Your thoughts?

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello.

We thought you might be interested to know that today the Department of Health announced that all two to 17-year-olds in the UK are to be offered annual flu vaccinations - though the programme won't start rolling out till 2014.

Until now, only children in at-risk groups, with conditions such as asthma, cerebral palsy or heart conditions, were eligible to get the vaccine on the NHS.

According to the BBC, children will be immunised using a nasal spray rather than an injection. (The injectable flu vaccine will still be offered to the over-65s, pregnant women and those with medical conditions such as asthma.)

Uptake will be voluntary but the Government believes the programme will lead to a 40% drop in the number of people catching flu, as well as 11,000 fewer hospitalisations and 2,000 fewer deaths a year.

So.... good idea? Or not? Would you take up the offer of flu vaccinations for your children?

Please do tell...

DD has it anyway as she is asthmatic, as am I.
I probably would get her vaccinated if she didn't need to be.

I would as DD goes to nursery - they're a breeding ground for germs. Influenza is a horrible illness. Not entirely sure how I'd get a nasal spray up her nose however.

I would get dd vaccinated - I always feel almost guilty that dh and I get one (I'm a nurse and we're both asthmatic) and she doesn't - particularly when we were in the middle of the swine flu pandemic, I hated that we were protected against it and she wasn't.

Brilliant idea. I always trot the whole family off for flu jabs every year (only private healthcare availble here). Any year a member of the family misses it someone gets sick.

Its going to take them 92 years to get the programme ready to roll?

Yes I think I would take it up. I usually refuse for me (asthmatic, pregnant) but my children are another matter.

@Pascha

Its going to take them 92 years to get the programme ready to roll?

Oh darnit It's too blimmin hot to type properly.

I'll correct that.

Undecided here. ds2 got swine flu when he was 4, it was not nice! I, however, am sceptical as it appears this has more to do with preventing adults from needing to take time off work to look after sick children, or catching the bug themselves. I want to read more about it before I will subject my kids to yet another of these seemingly endless vaccines.

DD gets the vaccine anyway due to her heart condition, but even if she didn't, I would want her to have this one. Flu is bloody awful, and means two weeks off school.

I'm not sure I'd have mine vaccinated TBH. DH has the flu jab as he is asthmatic and it usually makes him feel awful.
However by 2014 I'll only have one under 17 anyway so it probably won't affect me.

I have the flu jab every year and I've always asked about my son getting one as he seems to pick up every bug in the world.

So, yes. I'd have him get it.

Not sure about the nasal bit...

I'm thoroughly confused by the story. Is it applicable to Scotland?

Probably not.
www.pulsetoday.co.uk/newsarticle-content/-/article_display_list/12943481/fresh-doubts-over-flu-vaccination

what happened to building up tje immune system? my dcs are healthy, no asthma or allergies so unless thetes an epidemic i think i'd pass. At 34 ive had bad colds but no flu and it doesnt stop colds so wouldnt have helped me.

No thanks

Probably not no.

No one in my immediate family now, or growing up, have ever had flu so not sure. I have the jab now because I'm diabetic.

Not for us thanks. Although nasal delivery sounds less aggressive than straight into the bloodstream.

No thanks. Interesting article Ruby

Doesn't surprise me, especially as the flu virus mutates so quickly. Most people I know seem to think vaccines confer immediate 100% immunity.

And nasal delivery is interesting. One of the main anti vax arguments I have heard is that vaccines bypass much of the immune system and go straight into the blood.

DCs have had their MMR and all other appropriate immunisations but I am not really sure this one is necessary if your children are naturally fit and healthy - neither of ours has had any time off sick from school at all in this past academic year.

I'll be first in the queue.
I had flu once 5 years ago. I remember thinking now I know why people can die of this.
DS1 had swine flu when he was 14 and it was terrifying. It's just as hard watching your child be ill when they are bigger than you as when they are babies.
The following winter I went to GP to see if he could have flu jab and she muttered something about "worried well" I thought that was uncalled for because he was very, very ill with the flu and took six months to fully recover.

yes,good idea.Mine will be too old I think.
Flu is nothing like a cold.
Makes you wonder why it hasnt been done sooner,if the Government can afford it in these difficult economic times.

Probably not.

We all got the flu back in March. Awful!

My neighbour got the same flu we had. She was 75 and had had the jab!

I got told that they only guess how it will mutate and there is so many different strains of it its impossible to get it spot on.

DS is asthmatic and as such has his flu jab anyway. I do like the fact that the option is there for all but I am not sure if I would give it to him if he wasn't at risk